Morcha youth rally today on statehood

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, Aug. 10: The Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha has decided to bring out a rally in Darjeeling tomorrow to demonstrate that "the youths have not forgotten the Gorkhaland demand" , days after Bimal Gurung told the youths that they should speak their hearts out.

Yuva Morcha members from Tukvar, Lebong, Phoobsering and Darjeeling Sadar 1 constituencies of the GTA and Darjeeling town will participate in the rally.

Anil Rasaily, the spokesman for the Yuva Morcha (Tukvar), today said: "The rally will start from Singmari at 10am and reach Darjeeling town by 10.30am. Marchers from the Sadar 1 constituency and members of Darjeeling Town Yuva Morcha will join the rally in Darjeeling. There will then be a street corner meeting at Chowk Bazar."

Explaining the purpose of the rally, Rasaily said: "The rally is part of the boudhik(intellectual) movement for Gorkhaland. We want to tell the people that the youths are conscious about the demand. We want to say the youths have not forgotten the Gorkhaland demand."

At a public meeting in Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Gurung's Tukvar constituency on Sunday, he had said: "The youths should speak their hearts out, the youths should talk about dignity, about the land, the land wanting blood. The youth brigade should talk about an agitation like the '86 agitation, They should talk about lifting guns and wieldingkhukuris. This is what I had told them."

A day later, the Morcha said Gurung was not telling anyone to raise arms and wanted aboudhik movement for Gorkhaland.

Tilak Chhetri, the president of the Yuva Morcha (Darjeeling town committee), said: "The opposition parties have been saying they will support the statehood movement if it is carried on sincerely. We now appeal to them to bring their flags and participate in the rally."

Gurung today left for New Delhi.

Morcha general secretary Roshan Giri said the visit was for a personal purpose.